Candler Estate Planning Lawyers

I grew up in a large NAVY family. My father flew out of Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base in the sixties and I fell in love with the Tampa Bay community. After law school I came back to Florida to pursue my legal career with a passion for helping out individuals and families. I really enjoy the waterfront lifestyle here (when I can find the time to do so). I have a strong and long serving staff that makes client communication a top priority. My greatest joy is to work alongside my clients to help...

Jason E. Havens is a Partner at Holland & Knight LLP, practicing in its Jacksonville (also serving Ponte Vedra Beach) and Tallahassee (also serving Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, and Rosemary Beach) locations. He specializes in complex estate and charitable gift planning (domestic and international), probate/trust administration, and probate/trust litigation for affluent individuals and families and on behalf of charitable organizations. He is admitted to practice law in Florida and Tennessee. Mr. Havens received his LL.M. in International Taxation from Regent University, his LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami, his J.D. from the University of...

I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, where I continue to live and work. My journey in law began after completing my education at Riverside Presbyterian Day School and The Bolles School. I pursued higher education at Emory University, where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1998. I furthered my studies at Stetson University, earning both a Juris Doctorate and an M.B.A. in 2001 from the College of Law and School of Business Administration, respectively. I am married to Cameron Naugle, who runs Naugle Funeral Home, and we are blessed with two children, Abigail and Logan. My family is...

The firm works with Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Wills, & Trusts, Probate, Elder Law, Guardianship, Gun Trust, NFA Firearms, NFA Trust, Gun rights, Probate, Probate Litigation, Trusts, and Trust Litigation. Licensed in Texas and Florida

The passion to practice law is #1 in my life! I enjoy the everyday opportunity to work with individuals, families and businesses; I help them to save time and trouble! Outside of work, I enjoy a number of activities and hobbies. For me, travel is paramount; I have been to all 50 US States, seven of seven continents and 117 countries! I enjoy photography (travel and landscape particularly), public speaking, non-fiction reading, creative writing and publishing articles, visiting art museums, jazz, gardening, hiking, kayaking, backgammon, attending performing arts and theatre productions, and dining on exotic cuisine. I have offices in Winter Haven and...

Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law Attorney focused on providing custom solutions and personalized legal and asset protection planning for caregivers and families in Northeast Florida. Offices located in Jacksonville, FL and Orange Park, FL. Kellen is a partner and co-founder of Berg Bryant Elder Law Group after having spent 7 years building his own practice from scratch. Kellen started his solo practice at 26 years old during the 2009 recession, with no contacts and no prior legal experience in elder law. Kellen has since built a practice that has served over 1500 families and supports a full office staff to...

I give families peace of mind by helping them create estate plans that make sure their family is protected upon their death of incapacity. I also help families in difficult times when their elder is no longer to safely stay home due to the aging or disease process by helping protect assets and apply for Medicaid and VA benefits.

I was fortunate to grow up in Pinellas County with my father being a well-known and respected attorney. With my father’s encouragement and my own passion for helping others, I knew that estate planning and elder law was the career path for...

Aubrey Harry Ducker Jr. is a who has had years of accomplishments in the legal field. He has taken an interest in elder law after caring for his own grandmother and parents-in-law. Mr. Ducker has the first-hand experience in dealing with the stresses and anxieties that accompany deciding how to live the rest of one’s “golden years”. Attorney Aubrey Harry Ducker Jr. knows that adult children have to deal with this rite of passage. This involves specific stresses when making decisions for a parent or parents incapacitated by serious illnesses.

As a Family Law Attorney, Aubrey Harry Ducker Jr. takes...

Client's love Attorney Romaine Brown, because she is warm, listens, cares, and is aggressive when needed to and she gives tremendous effort to each case. Attorney Brown will personally talk to you about the needs and wishes of your case and comes up with the best strategy to win your case. She handles a variety of cases which has given her unique experiences when resolving cases. Clients are often concerned about trusting their attorney with their cases, and because she has years of experience and a background of representing clients in a variety of cases, she understands how clearly defining...

WE DO WILLS! And can assist with all of your estate planning needs, including trusts, living will and power of attorney. We also specialize in business law and collections and can assist with real estate matters.

Judy-Ann Smith, BSN, MS, JD My passion as an attorney is being able to help people. Resolving someone’s legal issues is the most rewarding aspect of the work I do. I am an empathetic and compassionate lawyer, willing to listen to my clients’ issues, to get a deeper understanding of what they would like to achieve and accomplish. Most importantly, I am an assertive advocate for all my clients and I will fight for what is fair and just according to the laws of the land. My practice areas range from family law to estate planning and probate. I have extensive success...

We assist families avoid impoverishment from long term care and nursing home expense by qualifying their loved ones for Medicaid and VA benefits. We prepare Wills, Trusts and Durable Powers of Attorney and settle Estates and Trusts. We seek maximum recovery when loved ones are abused or neglected in a Nursing Home or ALF. Ted moved to Florida in 1960 from Michigan and began his firm in 1990. Over the 32 years that he has been in practice, Ted has helped many hundreds of families qualify for Medicaid and protect the assets that they have worked a lifetime to...

I decided to become a lawyer in honor of my friend, Sgt. Jessie Davila, who was killed in action while we were deployed to Iraq. My initial focus in the law was to help other Veterans navigate the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability system as a Veterans lawyer. However, I discovered that many of the Veterans I was helping obtain VA disability benefits also needed help with estate planning and elder law concerns. This realization led me back to law school, where I earned my Masters in Law (LL.M.) in Elder journey in the legal profession started with internships...

A Queens, New York native graduating from the State University of New York (SUNY) Albany in Political Science, History and a minor in Criminal Justice in 2010. Ms. Whitfield graduated Ave Maria School of Law, in Naples, FL in 2013 and became a member of the Florida Bar in 2015. She has established a practice in the Tampa Bay area where she lives and works. Having established several areas of practice including Estate Planning, Probate, Immigration, Criminal Defense, and Business Law matters. Her passion is to help those in her community through the court system with their legal issues and...

Monica Balyasny is a licensed attorney in the States of Florida and New York. She is fluent in both English and Russian.

Mrs. Balyasny graduated from John Jay College with a Bachelors in Science in Criminal Justice in 2012. After graduation, she moved to South Florida to attend Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctor in 2018. While in law school, Mrs. Balyasny received her concentration in Health Law while actively participating in extracurricular activities at Nova. She was a representative for the Jewish Law Society Association and a member of the “Pulse” Health...

Attorney Joy Owenby serves clients throughout Florida with aggressive and relentless representation for a wide-range of practice areas. While her knowledge and experience are extensive, Attorney Owenby particularly handles matters involving divorce, adoption, trusts / wills, probate, criminal defense, child support, and family law. Over the course of the years, she has obtained much recognition and has become an accomplished lawyer with an Avvo Rating. Prior to the founding of Owenby Law, P.A., Attorney Owenby serves as legal counsel for Florida’s Guardian ad Litem Program. During this time, she explored the intricacies of family law which have allowed her...

In 2016, Carla Trinca-Conley joined Berg Bryant Elder Law Group, PLLC, where she specializes in assisting elderly individuals and their families. Carla is passionate about getting to know each client's unique story and tailoring her legal services to their needs. She is a Board-Certified Elder Law attorney by the Florida Bar. At Berg Bryant, Carla is the lead attorney for guardianship cases, including guardianships over incapacitated adults, guardian advocacy proceedings for developmentally disabled individuals over 18, and guardianship proceedings for minors with funds from personal injury actions or inheritance. Carla is committed to helping her clients navigate the requirements of...

Attorney Aaron W. Saoud is the owner of the AWS Law Firm, which practices Probate, Estate Planning, Guardianships, and other related areas of law in Florida. The AWS Law Firm is based out of Tampa, Florida, and serves the majority of the state, from Jacksonville down to Miami, including Orlando, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota. The AWS Law Firm currently is comprised of eight upstanding professionals: four lawyers and four support staff to assist them. Attorney Saoud is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Stetson College of Law, and is licensed to practice law in Florida, Michigan, and Illinois...

The overwhelming majority of my immigration law practice derives from repeat business and a very strong referral base of “happy customers” and a large supporting professional network. As such, it is important to me that my clients report back to me frequently with feedback. To me, there is no substitute for a happy referral by my clients and contacts to others who may need my services or advice. I welcome all referrals. While there is no substitute for a face-to-face meeting with me, in order for you to decide if I am the right lawyer for you,...

Walt Shurden is a Florida Board Certifed Elder Law Attorney and a former Georgia CPA who used to audit nursing homes and hopitals for a Medicare contractor. Now he represents families who seek Medicaid and VA eligibility because they need help paying for the high cost of long term care. He devises estate plans and asset protection plans for his clients. He also serves as fiduciary, and represents other fiduciaries in probate and trust administration proceedings. All four staff members are experienced and have been with the firm for over 10 years.

An Experienced and Aggressive Legal Advocate Providing Attentive and Caring Client Service Along Florida's Gulf Coast Lawyer Craig A. Epifanio began his practice of law solely defending those accused of a crime. He gained considerable experience aggressively pursuing justice for those accused of all levels of crime, to the point that in 2005 he was elected as President of the Pinellas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL) for that year. He now uses his natural ability to listen and empathize in order to gain a clear picture of the events leading up to a client's arrest, assess each individual legal issue...

WaveCrest Legal, P.A. was established to provide efficient, effective, and intelligent legal services to the greater Jacksonville Beaches area by incorporating business acumen with legal expertise. Our commitment is simple: compassionate client service and integrity in everything we do. Some of our areas of legal expertise are estate planning, probate administration, trust administration, guardianship, and business law.

John M. Hemenway is a founding partner of Bivins & Hemenway, P.A. John serves as a trusted legal advisor to business owners, real estate investors, and families seeking to preserve and pass down their wealth and values. His practice focuses on estate planning and probate, small and closely held businesses, and real estate, combining experience in each of these areas to provide a comprehensive approach to transactions and planning.

John earned his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Florida. John regularly presents at legal education seminars on both probate and estate planning topics, and is published on estate planning...

Matthew C. Shapiro is a seasoned attorney concentrating in wills, trusts, estates, and civil litigation. Mr. Shapiro graduated with honors from Florida International University, ranking in the top ten of his class. His distinguished academic background laid a strong foundation for his legal career, where he has consistently demonstrated expertise and excellence. During his career, Mr. Shapiro has provided comprehensive estate planning services to thousands of clients, expertly drafting crucial documents such as revocable living trusts of varying complexities, wills, powers of attorney, health care surrogates, living wills, enhanced life estate deeds, trust amendments, and codicils. Having served as the lead or...

As an entrepreneurial lawyer, I understand the challenges that small business owners face each day. We deal with vendors, customers, employees, taxes, and regulations all the time. Each one of these relationships creates legal risks that you must address in a cost-effective manner, before trouble strikes. Relying on my experience in trying business law cases, I have developed a three-step legal strategy that every small business owner should implement. In its most basic form, this strategy employs contracts, insurance coverage, and an operating company-management company-holding company format for the organization, to help control the common risks that can tank...

Attorney John Morey is a native of Tampa, Florida. After moving to New York he attended the State University of New York College at Brockport where he earned a Bachelor of Sciences in Psychology. Mr. Morey earned his Juris Doctorate from the Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law where he graduated in the top 25% percentile of his class.



Mr. Morey has been dedicated to being a zealous advocate for his clients since the first time he stepped into a courtroom as a certified legal intern for the Seminole County Legal Aid Society, Inc. The experience he gained...

Jason Mark Ranew is a litigation and corporate attorney for the Central Florida full service law firm of Bogin, Munns & Munns. Mr. Ranew practices Corporate Law, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law, Estate Planning, and Probate. He received his B.A. in Finance from Hillsdale College in 1998 and his J.D. from University of Akron in 2002.

Army Veteran and former Law Enforcement Officer, Sean decided to continue to serve his community by becoming an Attorney. Sean has a mission to protect the people and started Panther Law, P.A. to do just that. He offers legal help in Litigation, Estate Planning, Probate, Bankruptcy, and Special Needs Law.

Attorney Rachel Drude-Tomori is the Founding Partner of Drude Tomori Law, PA, a St. Petersburg law firm dedicated to providing estate planning legal services to individuals and families in St. Petersburg and surrounding areas. Rachel’s primary areas of focus include Estate Planning and Deferred Sales Trusts, and she frequently assists individuals and business owners in protecting their legacies from government and creditor interference. With over 15 years of legal experience, Rachel has developed estate plans for business owners, corporate executives, wealthy individuals, and professionals and their families with a wide range of estate planning objectives. She also develops estate plans...

Chase earned his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees at Stetson University College of Law in 2021, where he graduated Valedictorian of his class, with Magna Cum Laude honors. Chase also earned his Business Law Concentration and was a Senior Associate of Stetson Law Review. While in law school Chase earned a 4.0 high grade distinction in the following courses: Property Law, Business Entities, Federal Income Taxation I, Administrative Law, Sales and Leases, and Products Liability. During law school, Chase was a Judicial Intern to the Honorable Edward C. LaRose of the Florida Second District Court of Appeal and clerked with Fisher...

John Richert is a Managing Attorney at Richert Quarles, P.A. He received his Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida and a Master’s in Business Administration from Stetson University in Deland, Florida in May 2013. While at Stetson, John participated in Stetson’s pro bono program and was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. Before attending Stetson, John attended the College of William and Mary located in Williamsburg, Virginia and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration majoring in Finance. John was admitted to the Florida Bar in September 2013. John’s practice is focused...

Matthew is a native of Florida and Brevard County and was raised locally in Merritt Island. Matthew has an extensive and diverse education which includes a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a master’s degree in taxation, and a law degree. Prior to practicing law Matthew acquired his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and worked in public and private accounting for several years before entering law school. Matthew’s unique background in law, accounting, and taxation provide a unique perspective that is unmatched by most attorneys. Matthew has been located in the same office in Cocoa for the past 15 years practicing...

Timothy C. Martin is licensed to practice law in the state of Florida. As the owner/attorney of Martin Law Office, P.A., he serves the Tampa Bay and Central Florida areas and beyond in matters relating to animal law, estate planning and probate, real estate/real property including landlord/tenant matters, corporate law, business organizations and transactions, LGBT issues, and limited family law matters.

Lesly Carmen Longa Vaillancourt litigated and defended claims on behalf of individuals against corporations for over 10 years. Today she focuses her practice on wills, estate planning and family mediation. Attorney Longa speaks Spanish, has represented foreign nationals in U.S. Courts, and also handles a variety of international matters for business and estate planning clients. She is a Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator who can help divorcing couples file for divorce and negotiate an agreement without attorneys, preserving the family's dignity and empowering folks to decide for themselves what is best for them and their children. ...

Mr. Zoecklein currently focuses his practice on Plaintiff's Civil Litigation. His team is currently litigating cases throughout the State of Florida in the practice areas of probate administration, estate litigation, insurance claims, family law and business law. Brice Zoecklein grew up in Blacksburg Virginia and attended Virginia Tech where he graduated cum laude and obtained a degree in business management. While at Virginia Tech Mr. Zoecklein ran several successful franchises throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. Zoecklein then obtained his juris doctorate degree cum luade and a Masters in Business Administration from Stetson University College of Law....

Dina Arvanitakis graduated from the University of Chicago and completed her Juris Doctorate & Master of Laws degree in International Business and Trade Law at the John Marshal Law School in 1999. Dina is licensed to practice law in Florida, Illinois and Washington D.C. Dina is a member of the Florida Board of Realtors and is a licensed real estate consultant with Real Net Brokerage. Bilingual: English / Greek

Thankful for life, liberty, and happiness. Mr. Marks uses his personal and professional business, legal, and government experience to assist his clients with transactions in business and in residential and commercial real estate. Mr. Marks regularly drafts contracts and agreements. As the managing attorney, Mr. Marks also is experienced in divorce, timesharing, and custody issues as well as domestic violence cases. He uses his business and litigation experience to assist family law clients to shed light on these issues in family law cases. Mr. Marks has drafted numerous premarital agreements between prospective spouses made in contemplation of marriage and post-marital...

Attorney Natalia Ouellette-Grice’s real estate, business, and estate planning practice focuses on helping families and business owners who choose to protect their loved ones from the State’s plan for their business, death and incapacitation. With her expert guidance, Natalia and her team ensure that clients create specific, intentional, and planned actions from running their business to their death and incapacitation based on what the Client wants to happen with their family, assets, and businesses. Everyone is born with an Estate Plan and a Business Plan, the State’s Plan! The default State Plan is expensive, time-consuming, public, and on a...

David S. Toback is a Tampa-area lawyer with offices in Tampa and St. Petersburg who concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and probate, with an emphasis on tax planning, asset protection and business succession planning. Mr. Toback also helps his clients with business entity formation and commercial transactions, tax preparation matters and the resolution of tax controversies. His entire legal career has been focused on estate planning and tax matters for individuals and businesses. David Toback obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of South Florida in 1994, graduating magna cum laude. He then earned his...